Mahabalipuram - Heritage city of the mighty Pallavas, temples & beaches

Mahabalipuram – Heritage sites built during the Pallava period and its exquisite beaches

By Kishen Prasad India, South India travel to India 0 Comments

Ever been to Mahabalipuram in south of India? Not yet, let me tell you something about this lovely city. Mahabalipuram is located about 60 kms from Chennai. It is immensely popular for its monolithic structures, rock cut temples and of course lovely beaches.

Formerly called Mamallapuram, Mahabalipuram was ruled by the Pallava dynasty. With Kanchipuram as its capital, the Pallava dynasty ruled from the 3rd century to the 9th century. The city of Mahabalipuram was founded by King Narasimhavarman I. Narasimhavarman was known as the great warrior (Mamalla). Hence this city’s erstwhile name was Mamallapuram.

As a matter of fact Mahabalipuram was an important sea port for trade during the Pallavas and Cholas period. This sea port flourished for trade to countries in South East Asia, China and Srilanka. The Pallavas constructed many temples and structures along the shoreline and around. They happen to be the finest examples of Dravidian architecture and even stand today.

Shore Temple:

The Shore Temples of Mahabalipuram were built during the early 8th century. They were built during the reign of the Pallava King Rajasimha and Narasimhavarman II. As per traveler records, there were seven shore temples. The shore temples were then documented as ‘Seven Pagodas’ or ‘Chinese Pagodas’. This was primarily because of their triangular structure.

Out of the seven shore temples, only one temple complex exist today. This temple complex comprising of three temples. These temples built using granite stones are one of the oldest temples in South India. The remaining complex of shore temples were washed away due to the close proximity to the sea. The receding waters of the Tsunami of 2004 exposed them. The sculptures and structures of the rock cut temples were seen in the sea. Hence proving that there were indeed seven temple complexes as documented earlier.

Mahabalipuram temples and beaches: Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram built by the Pallava Dynasty in the 7th century

Panch Rathas (Chariots):

Built during the 7th century, the monolithic rocks were carved in the form of chariots. This was done keeping the wooden chariots as prototypes. The five rathas (chariots) are named after the the Pandavas from the epic ‘Mahabharata’. There is no specific reason as to why they have been named after the Pandavas.

The five rathas namely are:

Dharamaraja Ratha dedicated to Lord Shiva
Bheema Ratha dedicated to Lord Vishnu
Arjuna Ratha dedicated to Lord Shiva
Nakul & Sahadeva Ratha
Draupadi Ratha dedicated to Goddess Durga

All the ratha’s appear distinctly different from each other.

Panch Rathas in Mahabipuram — Mahabalipuram temples and beaches: Structures appearing as Rathas (Chariots) dedicated to the Pandavas from the epic Mahabharata. PC: Arupparia

Krishna’s Butterball:

Krishna’s butterball is a perfect example of what defying gravity is! It is a huge boulder just resting on the tip of a rock. It does look like the boulder will come rolling down any moment! This rock is likened to the butter dropped by infant Krishna. Of course visitors who visit the site try pushing the boulder down. As per the belief, the Pallava kings even used elephants to move the boulder. However the boulder did not even move an inch!

Arjuna’s Penance:

Arjuna’s Penance is a fantastic masterpiece on a massive rock. The life size images of gods, birds, animals and figurines adorn the rock. Beautifully carved on the rock are scenes from the tales of Panchatantra.

The ascetic performing penance carved on the rock has different interpretations:

First Interpretation:

It is Arjuna performing penance to Lord Shiva. Pleased with the penance Lord Shiva therefore grants him the pasupatha asthra to defeat the Kauravas. Hence this masterpiece is called Arjuna’s Penance.

Second Interpretation:

It is Sage Bhagirath performing penance to Lord Shiva. Pleased with the penance Lord Shiva thereupon agrees to bring the Ganges down to earth through his hair locks.

By and large one can spend hours together observing the intricate carvings.

Arjuna's Penance Mahabipuram — Mahabalipuram temples and beaches: Exquisite structure with carvings of Gods, Sages, birds, animals depicting stories from the Panchatantra. PC: Arian Zwegers

Mahishasuramardini Cave

The walls of this cave have many intricate carvings. One being Lord Vishnu sleeping on the coils of the serpent king Adisesha. The second being Goddess Durga fighting the demon king Mahishasura. In addition to the prominent carvings, this cave has three shrines. The central one has a carving of Lord Murugan seated between Goddess Parvathi and Lord Shiva.

Varaha Cave Temple

The Varaha Cave Temple is one of the early stage structures in Mahabalipuram. This temple has impressive carvings of Varaha (the boar) and Vamana (the dwarf). Both Varaha and Vamana are incarnations of Lord Vishnu. One of the walls depict Varaha rescuing mother earth on his horns. Likewise Vamana is seen with one foot on earth, other in the sky and the third on Bali pushing him to the underworld.

Krishna Cave Temple

This temple has a sculpture of Lord Krishna lifting the Govardhan hill. Thus protecting the cows and cowherds from the god of rain – Indra. There are also sculptures of Krishna breaking the pots of the gopis in this cave.

Exquisite beaches of Mahabalipuram

There are many beautiful beaches in Mahabalipuram which provide a perfect relaxation getaway.

Mahabalipuram Beach:

The Mahabalipuram beach is great place to unwind. Hence a perfect place to relax, go swimming and surfing. Surrounded by hills, this beach has golden sand all along. There are few attractions in addition to beach activities. The attractions being crocodile bank, snake venom extracting center and school of art and sculpture.

Covelong Beach:

Covelong beach is very popular amongst tourists. This is because of its white sand, pristine waters and water activities. This beach is a perfect place for excursions and picnics. Hence this beach is a high recommend when visiting Mahabalipuram. Adjacent to the beach is a fantastic resort – Fisherman’s Cove.

Sadras Beach:

The Sadras beach is yet another beautiful beach. White sand with surrounding casuarina groves add to the beauty. This is however located out of Mahabalipuram. Not to mention an old Dutch fort and Dutch cemetery lie close to the beach.

Wide Beach:

The Wide Beach has some amazing rock sculptures and caves along the shore. This beach is also a good place to see the sunrise and sunset.

Best time to visit Mahabalipuram

Because the summers are harsh, it is best to visit Mahabalipuram between the months of October to March.

How to reach Mahabalipuram ?

Mahabalipuram is well connected by air, railway and bus. Chennai airport is about 60 kms away from Mahabalipuram. One can therefore hire a private vehicle on arrival by flight or rail to cover this temple city.

For more such experiences, check out the historical places in Tamilnadu and the rest of India. In case culture is of interest, check out the places of Indian heritage and culture. And if spiritual is your interest, check out some of the pilgrimage places to visit in India.

In case you are keen on traveling to southern India, you could take a look at the itinerary of Tamilnadu and cover the Mahabalipuram as a part of this itinerary.

India is not just about history. In fact, there are many more facets to this ancient land – culture, spirituality, mystery, nature, wildlife and so on. Check out the holiday and tour packages representing the different facets of India travel.

In case you are keen on experiential travel and wish to explore India, visit Beyonder Travel